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Author: 


Title: 


Church  finance  and 
accounting 

Place: 

Boston 

Date: 

[191- 


MASTER    NEGATIVE   * 


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CHURCH    FINANCE 


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ACCOUNTING 


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BOSTON 

AMERICAN   UNITARIAN  ASSOCIATION 

95    BEACON    STREET 


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CHURCH  FINANCE 

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SUMMARY 

Part  I.     ADMINISTRATION 

Page 

A.  Importance  of  business  methods   in  church 

finance 5 

B.  Three  ways  of  financing  a  church 7 

The  proprietary  system 7 

The   pew-rental    system 8 

The  free-pew,  or  subscription  system ....  8 

C.  The  necessity  of  preparing  a  budget    9 

D.  The  treasurer's  printed  report 10 

E.  The  annual  meeting , .  12 

F.  The  subscription  card  , 12 

G.  Methods  of  canvass 13 

H.     Publicity  of  accounts   15 

I.       Endowment  funds    16 

J.      Insurance    *.  17 

K.     Special  collections 18 

L.      Conclusion    19 

Part  II.    SAMPLE  FORMS 

A.  Treasurer's  statements     21 

B.  Statement  for  a  small,  aided  church   22 

C.  Statement  for  a  larger  church,  with  compar- 

ative figures 24 

D.  Statement  for  a  large  church  with  adjustments  26 

E.  Balance  sheet,  yearly  and  monthly    28 

F.  Treasurer's  explanatory  notes 31 

G.  Report  on  invested  funds     32 

H.     Auditors'  statement      32 

I.      Subscription  cards     33 

J.       Forms  of  subscription  envelopes     36 

K.     Treasurer's  reminders   38 

L.      Bookkeeping  forms    39 

M.    Contributions  for  benevolences  •. 40 

[4] 


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Mr^ 


CHURCH  FINANCES  AND  ACCOUNTING 
Part  I.     ADMINISTRATION 

A.    The  Importance  of  Business  Methods  in  Church 

Finance. 

In  the  administration  of  a  church  it  is  important  to 
remember  that  no  church  exists  simply  for  its  own  sake, 
but  rather  for  the  community  in  which  it  is  placed.  Its 
purpose  should,  therefore,  be  neither  mere  self  per- 
petuation nor  self  aggrandizement,  but  rather  the 
mobilization  and  expenditure  of  all  its  powers,  material, 
moral  and  spiritual,  for  constructive  work  in  the  lives 
of  the  men  and  women  whom  it  is  able  to  touch.  That 
church  is  a  success  which  is  able  both  to  gather  up  and 
to  expend  its  full  strength,  be  that  strength  little  or  great. 
That  church  is  in  some  degree  a  failure  which  lacks  the 
will  and  the  ability  both  to  gather  up  and  to  expend 
the  power  of  which  it  is  capable. 

Business-like  methods  in  the  financial  administration 
of  a  church  are  of  vital  importance  to  the  welfare  of  the 
society.  Inefficient  administration,  hand-to-mouth  ways 
of  raising  money,  carelessness  or  tardiness  in  the  payment 
of  bills,  usually  indicate  low  vitality  in  a  church,  and 
are  a  constant  source  of  danger  and  invitation  to  financial 
calamity.  They  are  the  result  sometimes  of  ignorance 
or  of  timidity  on  the  part  of  the  minister,  but  more 
commonly  of  negligence  and  indifference  on  the  part  of 
the  laymen,  who  do  not  consult  the  minister  about  the 
business  affairs  of  the  church  and  who  resent  or  disregard 
any  suggestions  from  him.  Not  infrequently  the  laymen 
of  a  church  shirk  a  large  measure  of  their  responsibility, 

[5] 


J 


Mb 


either  because  the  business  is  conducted  by  a  little 
group  who  do  not  take  the  parish  as  a  whole  into  their 
confidence,  or  because  the  affairs  of  the  church  seem 
trivial  and  unimportant,  with  the  result  that  church 
business  is  administered  with  a  slackness  which  these 
same  men  would  regard  as  shocking  if  applied  to  their 
private  affairs.  The  financial  problems  of  many  a 
church  would  be  well  on  the  way  toward  solution  if  the 
business  men  of  the  parish  would  hold  themselves 
responsible  for  the  establishment  and  faithful  adminis- 
tration of  sound  business  methods  in  the  parish. 

The  theory  that  the  minister  should  have  nothing  to 
do  with  the  business  affairs  of  the  church  is  a  sound  one 
in  so  far  as  it  means  that  he  should  be  relieved  of  all 
responsibility  for  raising  or  administering  the  income  of 
the  church.  His  relation  to  the  trustees  of  the  church, 
however,  is  not  very  unlike  that  of  the  manager  of  a 
cotton  mill  to  its  board  of  directors.  He  should  feel  free 
to  sit  with  the  board  and  enter  into  its  counsels  save  on 
exceptional  occasions,  and  he  is  entitled  to  a  thorough 
acquaintance  with  the  affairs  of  the  parish  to  which  he 
ministers.  It  is  true  that  a  minister  of  deeply  spiritual 
nature  and  gifted  with  unusual  preaching  ability  may 
cause  his  church  to  grow  in  spite  of  the  handicaps  of 
inefficient  administration  by  the  laymen,  but  poor 
business  methods  will  be  an  unnecessary  drag  upon  an 
otherwise  successful  ministry.  Fortunately  it  some- 
times happens  that  vigor  and  spiritual  power  in  the 
minister  so  stimulate  his  people  that  they  develop  into 
a  careful  and  well-managed  church.  Such  a  result  is 
almost  certain  evidence  that  the  church  is  spiritually 
sound,  whereas  continuance  in  slipshod  methods  is 
almost  equally  positive  evidence  of  spiritual  decay. 
Efficient  administration  in  raising  money  so  that  an 
adequate  income  is  secured  for  the  work  of  the  church, 
in  prompt  payment  of  bills,  and  in  making  a  complete 

[6] 


public  report  of  income  and  expenditure,  will  build  up 
the  self-respect  of  the  parish,  and  the  respect  of  the 
community,  which  unhappily  has  only  too  good  reason 
for  surprise  when  a  church  transacts  its  affairs  with 
scrupulous  care. 

B.    Three  Ways  of  Financing  a  Church. 

(a)  The  Proprietary  System. 

(b)  The  Pew-Rental  System. 

(c)  The  Free-Pew,  or  Subscription  System. 

It  is  essential  that  the  great  bulk  of  the  money  needed 
should  be  secured  from  dependable  sources,  allowing  only 
a  small  margin  for  income  raised  by  the  uncertainties  of 
plate  collections,  by  church  fairs,  or  by  the  rental  of  the 
church  property  for  miscellaneous  purposes.  Income 
from  these  latter  sources  should  be  regarded  as.  windfalls, 
being  uncertain  and  fortuitous  additions  to  the  revenue 
of  the  church.  Three  methods  of  providing  a  fairly 
assured  income  are  to  a  greater  or  less  degree  in  use 
among  our  churches:  viz.  the  proprietary  system;  the 
pew-rental  system;  and  the  free-pew  or  subscription 
system. 

(a)   The  Proprietary  System 

The  proprietary  system  is  an  inheritance  from  the 
18th  century,  found  only  in  our  older  churches.  Under 
this  system  the  parishoner  purchases  the  legal  title  to  a 
pew  in  the  church,  and  thereby  becomes  a  '^  proprietor  '^ 
and  voter,  —  in  effect  a  stockholder.  The  income  of  the 
church  comes  from  the  taxes  levied  annually  upon  each 
pew  for  a  proportionate  amount  of  the  church  expenses. 
This  was  the  normal  method  of  church  finance  in  many 
of  our  older,  well-estabhshed  communities  during  the 
19th  century,  and  under  the  conditions  of  that  period 
did  produce  stable  and  dependable  income.     It  is,  how- 

[7] 


4 


il 


ever,  open  to  many  objections.  It  is  undemocratic,  it 
tends  to  give  the  control  of  the  church  into  a  very  few 
hands,  and  often,  in  the  passage  of  time,  results  in  the 
possession  of  pews  and  votes  by  persons  who  care 
absolutely  nothing  for  the  church  save  as  it  represents 
for  them  an  investment  of  some  financial  or  social  value. 
No  newly  organized  society  should,  therefore,  adopt  this 
method  of  raising  money. 

(6)    The  Pew-Rental  System 

The  second  system  is  the  pew-rental  system,  in  which 
the  society  owns  the  pews,  but  secures  its  income  by 
renting  them  out  for  sums  which  vary  according  to  the 
desirability  of  the  pew.  This  method  is  more  common, 
and  open  to  fewer  objections  than  the  proprietary 
system,  but  also  is  undemocratic,  giving  the  best  seats 
to  those  who  pay  most,  and  often  withholding  a  vote 
from  those  who  may  attend  church  habitually  but  who 
cannot  afford  to  rent  a  pew.  The  strongest  recommen- 
dation of  this  method,  as  of  the  proprietary  system,  is 
that  the  income  to  be  derived  from  pew  rents,  or  from 
taxes  on  pews,  can  be  closely  calculated  and  is  not 
subject  to  rapid  fluctuations.  These  advantages,  how- 
ever, may  be  secured  in  almost  as  great  degree  if  the 
subscription,  or  free-pew  system^  is  carefully  admin- 
istered, without  the  moral  and  spiritual  drawbacks 
involved  in  the  other  methods.  Presumably  therefore, 
a  newly  organized  society,  or  one  moving  into  a  new 
church  building,  will  avoid  the  pew-rental  system. 

(c)    The  Free-Pew,  or  Subscription  System 

The  third  method,  used  in  churches  in  which  pews  are 
neither  individually  owned  nor  rented,  but  in  which  all 
sittings  are  free,  is  the  subscription  system.  In  churches 
financially  administered  by  this  method  the  bulk  of  the 

[81 


A 


income  is  raised  by  inviting  members  and  attendants  to 
subscribe  annually  such  amounts  as  they  feel  able  to 
give,  to  be  paid  in  quarterly,  monthly  or  weekly  instal- 
ments. This  free-pew  system  is  the  most  modern  and 
democratic  way  of  financing  a  church,  and  is  the  system 
adopted  in  most  new  churches.  It  is  probably  in  use  in 
a  majority  of  Unitarian  churches  today. 

Not  infrequently  a  church  resorts  to  a  combination 
of  these  methods,  a  proprietary  church  often  also  renting 
pews,  or  a  pew-renting  church  also  collecting  subscrip- 
tions from  non-renters,  or  a  church  which  has  sold  or 
rented  pews  in  the  past  may  gradually  change  to  the 
subscription  basis,  often  with  excellent  financial  results. 
Such  a  change  of  method  is  generally  desirable,  and 
should  be  brought  about  where  practicable.  In  view 
of  the  fact  that  this  system  is  most  widely  used,  and 
that  the  tendency  is  away  from  the  proprietary  and 
pew-renting  systems,  the  following  suggestions  have 
been  drawn  up  primarily  for  churches  maintained  by 
subscriptions,  though  most  of  the  methods  suggested 
will  be  found  helpful  in  other  churches  as  well,  and  the 
fundamental  principles  outlined  are  essential  to  all 
sound  church  administrations. 


C.    The  Necessity  of  Preparing  a  Budget 

It  is  essential  that  the  treasurer  should  know  at  the 
beginning  of  the  fiscal  year  what  regular  income  the 
church  can  depend  upon,  whether  from  pew-taxes, 
pew-rents,  or  subscriptions,  and  that  the  budget  should 
be  cut  so  as  not  to  exceed  the  promised  income  except 
in  small  amount.  The  system, — or  rather  lack  of  system, 
—  followed  by  churches  which  habitually  overspend  their 
income,  and  at  the  end  of  each  year  face  a  deficit  which 
has  to  be  made  up  by  appealing  to  one  or  two  rich  men 
in  the  congregation,  is  bad  from  every  point  of  view, 

[9] 


J 


and   should   be   completely    abandoned.     It  is   merely 

hand-to-mouth  finance;  it  involves  a  lack  of  self-respect; 

and  it  is  liable  to  lead  to  disastrous  results  when  the 

wealthy  giver  dies,  leaves  town,  or  wearies  of  continually 

making  up  the  deficits.     Methods,  therefore,  should  be 

adopted  which  will  result  in  placing  in  the  treasurer's 

hands  at  the  beginning  of  the  year  definite  subscriptions 

or  pledges  which  very  nearly,  if  not  quite,  equal  the 

estimated     expenditures.     Individuals    are    sometimes 

reluctant  to  commit  themselves  to  a  definite  contribution, 

but  the  society  as  a  whole  must  commit  itself  to  a  stated 

expenditure,  and  its  individual  members  ought  to  take 

their   share   of  the  responsibility.*    It   is  easier   and 

pleasanter  to  get  an  adequate  number  of  contributions, 

at  the  beginning  of  the  year,  than  later  to  beg  for  money 

to  pay  a  deficit  which  grows  larger  the  longer  it  is 

shirked.    The    Board    of    Trustees    should    therefore 

prepare  a  carefully  studied  budget,  which  should  be 

submitted,  in  printed  form,  to  the  annual  parish  meeting, 

showing  the  amount  which  the  church  will  presumably 

be  called  upon  to  spend  during  the  ensuing  year.     It  is 

only  fair  to  contributors  that  they  should  be  informed 

in  advance  how  much  money  will  be  needed,  and  that 

they  should  have  opportunity  to  discuss  expenditures. 

A  well-planned  budget  will  greatly  lessen  the  risk  of  a  ^ 

deficit  at  the  end  of  the  year,  whereas  a  haphazard 

expenditure  is  very  liable  to  leave  the  church  in  debt. 

(For  a  sample  budget  see  page  23.) 

D.    The  Treasurer's  Prini:ed  Report 

■ 

The  annual  report  of  the  Treasurer  should  be  sub- 
mitted in  printed  form  (or  typewritten  or  mimeographed 
where  cheaper)  and  should  be  placed  in  the  hands  of 

*In  the  few  cases  in  which  a  subscriber  proves  unable  or  unwilling 
to  pay  his  contribution,  it  is  very  seldom  advisable  to  force  payment. 
Losses  from  this  source  will  seldom  average  more  than  1  per  cent  or 
2  per  cent  a  year,  except  in  some  great  financial  crisis  when  a  whole 
community  may  be  impoverished. 

[10] 


every  person  attending  the  annual  meeting.  Reference 
to  printed  or  typewritten  copies  is  essential  to  any 
intelligent  understanding  of  the  statement,  and  prevents 
the  suspicion  that  something  is  being  withheld  from 
examination^  or  criticism. 

The  financial  statement  should  contain, 

(1)  The  Treasurer's  itemized  report  of  all  receipts, 

expenditures  and  balances,  which  should 
check  exactly  with  the  Treasurer's  books  as 
verified  by  the  auditors. 

(2)  A  statement  of  any  adjustments  necessary  to 

show  the  actual  income  and  charges  belonging 
to  the  year,  whether  paid  within  the  year  or 
not.  (This  may  be  omitted  where  the  ad- 
justments are  so  small  in  amount  as  to  make 
inclusion  unnecessary.)  (See  page  27) 
(5)  A  statement  of  current  assets  and  liabilities. 

(4)  A  statement  of  all  important  increases  and  de- 

creases as  compared  with  the  items  of  the 
preceding  year.  (In  the  printed  report  these 
items  may  be  conveniently  shown  by  setting 
them  in  a  column  on  the  left-hand  side  of  the 
statement  parallel  with  (1).     (See  page  24) 

(5)  A  statement  as  to  any  endowment  funds  held  by 

the  society. 
.  (6)  A  statement  by  a  professional  auditor  or  by  the 

auditing  committee  of  the  Board  of  Trustees 
showing  that  the  Treasurer's  accounts  and 
vouchers  have  been  examined  and  foimd 
correct. 
(7)  The  itemized  budget  for  the  new  fiscal  year, 
recommended  by  the  Board  of  Trustees, 
subject  to  discussion  and  adoption  by  the 
meeting.  Any  important  increases  or  de- 
creases should  be  shown  and  explained.  (See 
page  23  and  31) 

[111 


v»'ws»<^^06»'^'''r'^i'^-'aff  c^jKM  -T->vi  '^ 


It  is  often  helpful  to  include  a  classified  list  of  last  year's 
subscriptions,  thus:  three  at  $100  or  over;  five  at  $75; 
ten  at  $50;  etc.  down  to  the  lowest  amounts,  so  that  the 
subscriber  may  more  easily  judge  what  amount  it  is 
appropriate  for  him  to  give.  The  subscription  lists, 
showing  the  contributions  of  each  individual  giver, 
should  never  be  published  and  should  be  held  con- 
fidential by  the  Board  of  Trustees.  Items  of  expenditure 
should  be  classified  under  several  heads:  e.g..  Salaries; 
Music;  Grounds  and  Buildings;  Benevolences,  etc. 
For  approved  forms  of  financial  reports  see  Part  II. 

E.  The  Annual  Meeting 
The  Annual  Meeting  of  the  parish,  at  which  are 
presented  the  treasurer's  report  for  the  closing  year  and 
the  budget  for  the  new  fiscal  year,  is  the  best  and  most 
appropriate  time  for  securing  contributions.  As  large 
an  attendance  as  possible  should  be  drawn  out,  using 
pulpit,  press  and  circular  notices  and  personal  effort, 
and,  where  possible,  there  should  be  a  parish  supper 
before  or  after  the  meeting.  This  latter  feature  gives  a 
social  character  to  the  gathering  which  attracts  the 
less  devoted  adherents  of  the  church  and  gives  the  trustees 
a  desirable  opportunity  of  interesting  them.  At  the 
meeting  there  should  be  opportunity  to  ask  questions 
about  the  treasurer's  report,  and  then  the  budget  for 
the  ensuing  year  should  be  discussed  and  voted  item  by 
item  (at  least  for  the  chief  items).  The  people  should 
have  a  real  voice  in  the  business,  and  should  commit 
themselves  to  the  proposed  expenditures,  instead  of 
simply  accepting  what  has  already  been  settled  for  them 
by  the  trustees.  When  this  has  been  done  subscription 
cards  should  be  passed  about  and  subscriptions  invited. 

F.     The  Subscription  Card 
The  most  convenient  form  of  subscription  card  is  a 
shape  easy  to  file,  with  a  column  of  amounts  ranging  say 

[121 


from  $500  down  to  $1,  against  which  the  subscriber  may 
indicate  by  an  X  the  amount  of  his  pledge,  and  also  the 
way  of  paying  it,  whether  annually,  quarterly,  monthly 
or  weekly.    Every  individual  should  be  urged  to  sub- 
scribe,  no  matter  how  small  the  amount  some  may  be 
able  to  give.     The  young  people  of  the  church  especially 
should  not  be  overlooked,  but  should  be  invited  to  give 
what  they  can,  that  they  may  early  begin  to  cultivate 
the  habit  of  sharing  in  the  support  of  their  church.     The 
real  strength  of  the  finances  of  the  church  does  not  he 
in  a  few  large  subscriptions,  which  are  Hable  sooner  or 
later  to  fail,  but  in  securing  a  large  number  of  small 
subscriptions.     For  those  who   desire  to   give  weekly 
contributions,  the  envelope  system  should  be  adopted, 
even  though  this  involve  a  disproportionate  amount  of 
clerical  work  for  the  treasurer.     The  subscription  cards 
should  be  collected  and  the  results  reported  before  the 
meeting  adjourns.    The  financial  statement  and  appeal 
for  subscriptions  at  the  meeting  should  be  brief  and  to 
the  point,  and  care  should  be  taken  not  to  over-urge 
people  to  give.     The  subscription  card  should  not  be  a 
demand,  but  an  invitation  to  join  in  constructive  re- 
ligious work  for  the  welfare  of  the  community  and  for 
wider  missionary  endeavor. 

G.  Methods  of  Canvass 
As  soon  as  practicable  after  the  annual  meet- 
ing a  letter  should  be  sent,  in  the  name  of  the 
trustees,  to  all  who  have  not  yet  subscribed  but  who  may 
be  reasonably  expected  to  do  so.  This  letter  should  be 
accompanied  by  the  printed  statement  of  financial 
conditions.  It  should  not  be  sent  in  one-cent  circular 
envelopes,  but  should  be  personally  signed  by  one  or 
more  trustees,  and  sealed.  The  letter  should  say  that  a 
personal  call  will  be  made  within  a  few  days  if  further 
information  is  desired,  but  should  ask  that  if  convenient 

[13] 


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ar  •  Tin  ■■-  -  IT •»  mm 


the  subscription  card  be  returned  by  mail  to  save  trouble. 
The  personal  visits  to  solicit  subscriptions  should  be 
made  by  a  small,  carefully  chosen  committee,  who  divide 
among  themselves  the  list  of  persons  to  be  called  upon. 
Some  such  visits  are  generally  necessary,  as  some 
individuals  who  are  really  willing  enough  to  give  take 
it  as  a  matter  of  course  that  they  shall,  be  personally 
solicited,  and  so  let  the  circular  letter  go,  and  wait  for 
the  solicitor.  Often  it  is  practicable  to  fix  some  one  day 
for  this  purpose  of  soliciting  subscriptions,  and  to  ask 
the  people  to  be  ready  to  cooperate  with  the  solicitors 
by  being  at  home  to  receive  them. 

The  service  on  the  following  Sunday  may  well  be 
devoted  in  part  to  an  account  of  the  purposes,  work  and 
value  of  the  church,  with  a  view  to  increasing  appre- 
ciation of  it  and  devotion  to  it,  but  direct  appeals  for 
money  from  the  pulpit  should  be  avoided  save  in  cases 
of  extreme  necessity. 

If,  at  the  end  of  a  fortnight,  when  the  returns  are  in, 
there  remains  a  small  deficit,  it  may  probably  be  dis- 
regarded, in  the  hope  that  economies  and  plate  collections 
may  wipe  it  out.  If  there  are  indications  of  a  large 
deficit  steps  should  be  taken  at  once  to  secure  more  or 
larger  subscriptions,  for  another  canvass  toward  the 
end  of  the  year  to  make  up  a  large  deficit  will  greatly 
injure  the  chances  of  securing  subscriptions  at  the  next 
annual  meeting.  If,  however,  a  diligent  canvass  at  the 
beginning  of  the  year  does  not  develop  sufficient  resources 
to  meet  the  budget,  a  reduction  of  expenditure  becomes 
necessary  as  a  matter  of  business  ethics.  Otherwise 
certain  trouble  is  ahead,  which  will  grow  worse  the 
longer  the  matter  is  deferred.  A  parish  meeting  called 
to  consider  reducing  the  budget  will  sometimes  obviate 
the  necessity  of  a  reduction  by  drawing  out  new  sub- 
scriptions, for  some  people  will  only  give  to  a  voluntary 
organization  under  a  sense  of  necessity. 

[14] 


H.    Publicity  of  Accounts 

Here  and  there  persons  will  be  found  to  object  to  the 
foregoing  method  on  the  ground  that  it  is  bad  taste  or 
bad  policy  to  make  any  public  announcement  of  the 
financial  conditions  of  a  church..     Those,  however,  who 
contribute  to  a  church  stand  to  it  in  the  relation  of 
shareholders,  and  are  entitled  to  know  how  their  enter- 
prise fares.     It  is  therefore  desirable  not  only  that  the 
trustees  should  have  a  treasurer's  report  at  their  regular 
monthly    meetings,    but    that    tRe    printed    statement 
should  be  provided  for  at  the  annual  parish  meeting. 
Objection  is  sometimes  made  that  if  a  surplus  is  shown 
the  people  will  no  longer  exert  themselves,  or,  if  there  be 
a  deficit,  outsiders  will  see  how  meager  are  the  resources 
of  the  church.     Few  churches  do,  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
ever  show  any  larger  surplus  than  the  trifling  balance 
which  prudent  management  may  carry  forward  to  the 
ensuing  year.     This  is  as  it  should  be,  for  a  considerable 
surplus  in  successive  years  commonly  indicates  that  the 
church  is  giving  less  than  its  full  strength  to  its  work. 
Such  a  continued  surplus  is  sometimes  turned  into  an 
endowment  fund,  but  it  is  better  policy  to  spend  the  full 
income  of  the  church   year  by   year,  and  to  develop 
the  endowment  fund  from  special  gifts  or  bequests.* 
A  church,   however,  is  much  more  liable  to  show  a 
deficit  than  a  surplus,  and  sometimes  people  fear  the 
result   of   the   publication  of   such   information.     But 
knowledge  of  the  facts  very  seldom  really  hurts  a  church 
if  its  business  affairs  are  properly  administered,  and  it 
must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  church  is  a  semi-public 
institution  in  which  the  community  at  large  has  also  a 

♦Speaking  generally  a  church  ought  not  to  accumulate  surplus 
income,  any  more  than  should  a  college,  unless  it  be  for  a  brief  period 
and  for  some  specific  object  of  expenditure  which  wDl  enlarge  or 
solidify  its  work.  Success  in  both  types  of  institution  is  measur^ 
by  expenditures,  not  by  surplus  income,  for  the  purpose  of  both  is 
not  financial  profit  but  enlargement  of  life. 

[151 


\ 


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iiBBaiaailiiBaMetsftrr^^?tt*rftt-fti^^-s^^ 


financial  stake  through  the  remission  of  taxes,  a  con- 
tribution which  in  the  case  of  some  city  churches  amounts 
to  a  large  sum.  Furthermore,  the  number  and  size  of 
subscriptions  to  the  church  will  depend  in  considerable 
measure  upon  how  fully  the  members  appreciate  the  work 
which  the  church  is  doing,  and  realize  its  financial 
condition  and  needs.  Where  a  parish  is  in  healthy  con- 
dition it  is  sound  policy  to  keep  its  members  well  informed 
about  its  affairs,  since  they  will  give  in  proportion  to 
their  interest  and  pride  in  the  church,  and  where  a 
church  is  not  in  healthy  condition  its  supporters  certainly 
ought  to  be  informed  of  the  fact. 

I.    Endowment  Funds 

Where  a  church  holds  a  general  endowment  fund,  or  a 
fund  given  to  support  some  specific  phase  of  its  work, 
a  statement  as  to  such  fund  should  always  be  included 
in  the  annual  published  report  of  the  treasurer.  This 
statement  should  give  the  amount  of  both  the  principal 
and  the  income  of  the  fund;  it  should  list  the  securities 
in  which  the  fund  is  invested  and  should  name  the  bank 
in  which  any  cash  balance  is  deposited.  The  principal 
should  be  invested  only  in  securities  suitable  for  trust 
funds,  and  no  part  should  be  used  to  pay  any  debt  of 
the  society,  or  be  invested  in  any  mortgage  or  other 
obligation  of  the  church  or  of  any  members  thereof, 
unless  the  fund  is  specifically  given  to  be  used  in  such 
way.  Carelessness  in  the  choice  of  investments  has  in 
many  cases  resulted  in  the  loss  or  serious  diminution  of 
church  funds,  often  seriously  hampering  the  work  of  the 
church  through  loss  of  income,  and  exposing  negligent 
trustees  to  the  risk  of  legal  prosecution.  Publicity  tends 
to  prevent  such  carelessness.  In  small  societies,  or 
where  expert  advice  as  to  investments  is  not  readily 
obtainable,  it  is  wise  to  entrust  the  principal  to  the 

[16] 


J 


American  Unitarian  Association,  which  will  agree  to  take 
care  of  the  fund  and  to  turn  over  the  annual  income  to 
the  society  in  accordance  with  the  purposes  of  the  donors. 
Where  it  is  desirable  to  build  up  an  endowment  fund 
an  appeal  for  gifts  or  bequests  for  such  purpose  should 
be  made  at  least  once  a  year,  perhaps  in  the  minister's 
or  treasurer's  report,  and  any  accumulated  surplus  in- 
come may  well  be  added  to  the  endowment  fund.  It 
is  well  to  remember,  however,  that  while  an  endowment 
fund  is  a  valuable  asset  in  some  cases,  and  may,  indeed, 
be  essential  to  the  life  of  an  historic  church  or  of  one 
with  a  peculiar  work  to  do  either  at  a  strategic  missionary 
point  or  where  large  benevolences  are  called  for,  it  is 
neither  necessary  nor  desirable  that  every  church  should 
be  endowed.  It  is  often  better  that  a  church  should 
disappear  if  it  is  no  longer  self-supporting,  and  the 
members  of  a  church  with  an  endowment  need  constantly 
to  beware  of  the  moral  and  spiritual  decay  which  is 
certain  to  ensue  in  any  organism  which  lives  in  idleness 
upon  the  gifts  of  the  dead. 

J.    Insurance 

The  trustees  should  not  fail  to  keep  all  the  destructible 
property  of  the  church  adequately  insured  in  a  reliable 
company.  Instances  have  happened  in  which  a  church 
has  been  well-nigh  ruined  by  loss  of  its  property  by  fire 
after  the  insurance  policy  had  been  allowed  to  lapse. 
The  treasurer's  report  should  include  a  statement  as 
to  the  amount  of  insurance  carried  on  the  property 
(see  page  28)  and,  where  the  premium  is  paid  in  a 
lump  sum  covering  several  years,  the  entry  in  the 
treasurer's  report  should  indicate  that  fact.  Thus  if 
the  premium  be  $150  paid  for  five  years'  insurance,  the 
report  should  show  advance  payments  at  $30  a  year  for 
the  period  covered. 

[17] 


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K.    Special  Collections 

Every  church  has  occasion  to  raise  money  during  the 
year  for  purposes  outside  the  ordinary  running  expenses 
of  the  parish,  —  for  the  missionary  organizations  of  the 
denomination,  for  ''general  charities,"  or  for  some 
particular  benevolences  in  which  it  may  be  interested. 
There  are  three  ways  in  which  money  may  be  raised 
for  such  purposes:  (1)  by  having  the  trustees  set  aside  a 
fixed  sum  for  the  desired  object,  out  of  the  general  income 
of  the  church;  (2)  by  taking  up  one  or  more  special 
collections  on  dates  previously  announced;  (3)  by  asking 
people  to  subscribe  in  advance,  payment  to  be  made  by 
the  envelope  system. 

The  first  method  is  an  undesirable  one,  since  it  prac- 
tically diverts  to  outside  purposes  money  in  reality 
subscribed  to  meet  the  running  expenses  of  the  church, 
and  also  it  fails  to  make  any  appeal  to  the  missionary  or 
philanthropic  spirit  of  the  people.  The  second  method 
is  an  excellent  one  when  systematically  followed,  in 
churches  where  such  outside  interests  are  well  organized 
and  sustained.  For  suggested  forms  see  page  40. 
The  third  method  is  best  where  donations  are  made  in 
small  amounts,  and  -where  the  envelope  system  is  in 
general  use.     For  forms  see  pages  34  and  37. 

Every  church  should  adopt  either  the  second  or  the 
third  method,  for  it  is  a  well-recognized  fact  that,  next  to 
the  efficient  administration  of  its  own  affairs,  the  responsi- 
bility assumed  by  a  church  for  missionary  and  philan- 
thropic purposes  is  perhaps  the  best  test  of  its  vitality. 
It  is  often  best  to  put  the  management  of  the  benevolences 
of  the  parish  in  the  hands  of  a  special  Committee  on 
Benevolences,  with  its  own  treasurer  who  collects  and 
disburses,  at  the  direction  of  the  Committee,  the  money 
raised  for  these  purposes.  The  Committee  should 
represent  all  the  varied  interests  of  the  parish  and  should, 
of  course,  work  in  cooperation  with  the  trustees.     The 

[18] 


; 


best  results  are  secured  when  the  distribution  of  the 
money  thus  raised  is  left  to  the  discretion  of  the  Com- 
mittee; for  the  Committee,  knowing  all  the  contribu- 
tions, can  usually  apportion  them  better  than  any 
contributor  who  knows  but  few.  The  treasurer  of  the 
Committee  should  also  make  a  report,  duly  audited, 
at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  church   (see  page  41). 

L.    Conclusion 

Churches  which  will  adopt  these  modern  business 
methods,  with  a  carefully  prepared  budget;  publicity  of 
accounts;  a  well  planned  annual  parish  meeting;  and 
prompt  and  efficient  management  in  the  treasurer's 
office,  will  find  their  income  will  be  increased  by  10  per 
cent  or  even  20  per  cent.  It  should  never  be  forgotten, 
however,  that  even  the  best  system  which  can  be  devised 
is  not  automatic,  and  will  work  only  when  there  is 
intelligence  and  energy  behind  it.  The  system  can 
simplify  the  treasurer's  task,  but  it  will  produce  the 
expected  results  only  when  it  is  administered  by  a  man 
who  really  cares  about  making  it  go. 


1191 


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MMMkk 


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« 


^ 


Part  II— SAMPLE  FORMS 
A.    Treasurer's  Statements 

The  size  of  the  church,  and  the  nature  of  the  activities 
supported  by  funds  passing  through  the  treasurer's 
hands,  will  determine  somewhat  the  form  of  statiements. 
In  a  small  church,  in  which  everyone  knows  virtually 
everything  done,  details  may  be  shown  freely,  for 
interest  is  both  stimulated  and  satisfied  by  details.  If 
the  reports  are  printed  in  sheet  form,  without  the 
expense  of  make-up  into  pages,  they  will  not  be  very 
expensive.  If  funds  are  handled  by  the  treasurer  for 
benevolent  purposes  as  well  as  for  parish  purposes,  the 
report  should  show  distinctly  all  pledges  and  collections 
for  designated  benevolences,  and  should  show  also  how 
much  was  actually  paid  on  those  scores.  Only  so  can 
one  show  that  diversion  of  funds  did  not  occur.  Follow- 
ing are  a  few  illustrations  of  actual  reports,  —  not 
necessarily  within  our  denomination,  —  illustrating  both 
the  simple  and  the  elaborate.  Most  of  these  are  for  the 
cash  report  only.  The  others  are  deserving  of  special 
observation,  however,  for  weakness  usually  lies  less  in 
the  cash  report  than  in  the  supplement  which  ought  to 
go  with  it.  Large  latitude  in  form  is  feasible.  Each 
report  shown  here  could  be  improved  in  some  respect 
but  the  change  would  rob  it  of  some  virtue. 


[211 


B.    Treasurer's  Report  for  a  Small,  Aided  Church 
Using  the  Subscription  System,  and 

Form  of  Budget 

Church  of  Our  Father j   Hope  City,  Colorado 

Financial  Statement  for  the  Year  1914 

Receipts  1914. 

Individual  subscriptions,  arrears  .  .* $  45.00 

Individual  subscriptions,  current    891.00 

Individual  subscriptions,  advance 15.00 

Sunday  Collections 231.08 

Easter  Offering   260.00 

Contribution  from  the  Women's  Alliance 139.35 

American  Unitarian  Association 950.00 

Miscellaneous 3.00 

Borrowed  at  bank 200.00    $2,734.33 

Deduct  overdraft  at  bank  Jan.  1,  1913 •  .18 


$2,734.15 

Expenditures  1914. 

Minister  and  Pulpit  Supply    $1,625.00 

Music 407.75 

Janitor    96.50 

Fuel 55.75 

Light 34.73 

Water 10.00 

Printing  and  Postage  (mostly  calendars)   94.32 

Repairs  and  Maintenance 115.86 

Missionary 80.00 

Insurance 35.00 

Interest  on  borrowed  money 12.04 

Repa3rment  on  borrowed  money 150.00 

Miscellaneous 4.71    $2,721.66 

Dec.  31,  Cash  on  Hand. 12.49 


% 


$2,734.15 


WILLIAM  SMITH, 


Treasurer, 


[22] 


BtJDGBT  Recommended  for  the  Coming  Year 

a  careful  estimate  of  the  church  expenses  for  the  ensuing  year 
has  been  prepared  and  appears  in  the  following  budget: 

Mmister's  Salary $1,700.00 

Music   450.00 

Janitor 100.00 

Fuel 60.00 

Light  and  Water 45.00 

Printing  and  Postage 95.00 

Repairs  and  Maintenance 120.00 

Insurance ; 35.00 

Repayment  of  loan 50.00 

Miscellaneous 25.00 

$2,680.00 

It  will  be  noted  that  the  above  figures  provide  for  a  slightly  in- 
creased expenditure  at  a  few  points,  though  the  total  is  a  little 
less  than  last  year's  expenditure  on  account  of  the  decreased  amount 
of  borrowed  money  to  be  repaid,  and  because  of  the  omission  of 
contributions  for  missionary  purposes.  The  trustees  feel  justified 
in  recommending  the  increases  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  number 
of  subscribers  has  increased  during  the  past  year.  The  trustees 
also  recommend  that  the  American  Unitarian  Association  be  asked 
to  contribute  $850  for  the  coming  year,  instead  of  $950,  feeling 
confident  that  the  church  will  wish  to  assume  this  added  measure 
of  self-support.  It  will  be  noted  that  the  budget  does  not  include 
the  contributions  of  the  church  for  missionary  or  benevolent  pur- 
poses, which  will  be  raised  by  special  collections.  The  total  amount 
which  the  church  will  be  asked  to  raise  for  the  coming  year  will 
therefore  be  about  $200  more  than  last  year's  expenditures. 


[23] 


C.     Treasurer's  Report  for  Another  Church  Using 

THE  Subscription  System 

Unity  Church,  Winterhoro,  Mass. 

Income  and   Expense   Statement    1914-1915,  Compared   with 

LAST  year's 

1913-1914  Income  1914-1915 

$     82.51    Received  from  previous  year  in  cash $     10.64 

312.31     Received  from  previous  year  in  unpaid  pledges      606.53 

298.34    Loose  collections 267.82 

37.35    Unpledged  envelope  receipts 257.74 

5,560.55    Pledges  for  current  expenses 5,546.13 

Income  from  Special  Music  Fund   50.52 

Reimbursement  from  Anti-Saloon  League ....  5.00 

Cash  gifts  toward  painting  church 310.00 

Pledges  toward  painting  church 225.00 

$6,291.06    Total  income  for  the  year     $7,279.38 


274.98 
2,000.00 
585.34 
500.00 
199.82 
220.79 

1,025.23 

60.00 

297.25 

217.75 

29.06 

146.52 

38.40 

96.83 

95.93 


Expense 

1914-15  Cash  used  in  1913-14 
(pledges  paid  in  advance) . . 

Unpaid  bills  of  previous  year. 

Pastor^s  Salary    $2 

Sexton's  salary    

Parsonage  Investment  . . . 

Parsonage  Taxes 

Interest  

Insurance 

Music   1 

Summer  pulpit  supply  . . . 

Fuel 

Printing  and  suppHes 

Water 

Light 

Conference  tax    

Repairs 

Miscellaneous  expenses    . . 

Painting  and  repairs 
incident  thereto 


,000.00 
480.00 
500.00 
219.02 
259.03 

75.00 
,050.52 

60.00 
303.53 
201.71 

27.35 
102.96 

54.01 
280.78 
194.49 

496.91 


$117.35 
408.75 


Pledges  withdrawn 


6,305.31 
64.25 


5,787.90        Total  expense  for  year $6,895.66 


$    503.16    Surplus  toward  next  year's  expenses 

[241 


$  383.72 


This  statement  shows  the  actual  amount  that  the  church  has 
been  able  to  depend  upon  during  the  year  for  income  and  the  exact 
amount  of  expenses  incurred.  All  the  income  has  not  been  collected, 
as  will  be  seen  by  the  balance  sheet  item  "1914-15  Pledges  un- 
paid," nor  have  all  the  expenses  been  paid,  as  will  be  seen  by  the 
balance  sheet  item  '*Note  payable  to  First  National  Bank."  See 
the  balance  sheet  for  this  church,  pages  28  and  29. 


125] 


I  I  ■  ■    IW  f  ^      ■■■J  ■ 


D.    Treasurer's  Report  for  a  Church  with  Large 
Activities,  Using  the  Pew-Rental  System 

All  SouW  Church, 

Washington  Square, 

Oakwoody   N.   Y. 

Cash  Receipts        ^ 

Balance  on  hand,  Jan.  1,  1913   $2,004.00 

Pew  rentals  of  1912  collected  in  1913   421.89 

Pew  rentals  of  1913  collected  in  1913   8,913.39 

Pew  rentals  of  1914  collected  in  1913   35.59 

Interest  on  bank  balances 83.15 

Interest  on  invested  funds 931.16 

Contributions  towards  expenses,  use  of  church  for  wed- 
dings and  for  charity 335.00 

Return  of  unexpended  Sunday  School  appropriation  for 

1912 141.54 

Received  to  be  forwarded  for  charity  15.50 

Total  receipts : , $12,881.22 

Cash  Disbursements 

Salary  of  minister $5,000.00 

Pulpit  supply 120.00 

Music    2,210.20 

Sunday  School 800.00 

Total  direct  cost  of  services  and  education $8,130.20 

Fuel $    405.00 

Maintenance  of  building  and  equipment    . .  456.46 

Light,  water,  power    286.47 

Insurance 281.25 

Janitor  service 761.18 

Total  care  of  property $2,190.36 

Administrative  salaries: 

Treasurer  and  collector   300.00 

Treasurer  of  special  funds 50.00 

Clerk     25.00  375.00 

Administrative  expenses 

(Stationery,  printing,  postage,  etc.) 115.76 

Miscellaneous  expenses 

(including  reporting  of  sermons)    235.04 

Total  current  expense  paid $11,046.35 

Cash  balance  —  Blank  Savmgs  Bank 1,160.12 

Blank  Trust  Co 649.75 

Petty  Cash 25.00 

$12,881.22 
[26] 


e 


Adjustments 
Often  the  cash  receipts  and  disbursements  do  not  represent 
fairly  the  actual  income  of  expenses  of  the  year,  for  either  collec- 
tions or  payments  may  be  tardy,  and  payments  may  be  made  for 
future  benefit,  as  with  insurance  on  long  term  policies.  A  brief 
statement  should  make  adjustment  for  such  items.  Such  a  state- 
ment, moreover,  offers  convenient  opportunity  for  comparing  cer- 
tain types  of  income  with  the  expenses  which  they  sought  to  cover. 
Such  an  adjusted  statement  follows,  for  the  figures  in  the  schedule 
given  on  the  opposite  page. 

Adjustment  Statement 

Assessment  on  pews,  27  per  cent  of  the  val- 
uation of  $47,878 *^1'^ES? 

Assessment  on  unrented  pews 3,588.71 

Rentals  collectible $9,338.35 

Current  expenses,  as  shown  above $11,046.35 

Contributions  towards  expenses,  as  shown 
above 335.00 

Net  current  expenses  10,711.35 

Deficit  in  pew  income "     $  1,373.00 

Other  normal  income: 

Interest  on  funds  for  current  use $810.15 

Interest  accrued  not  due 23.20          833.35 

Deficit  in  normal  income  for  the  year $  539.65 

This,  however,  is  greater  than  the  actual  depletion  of  the  surplus 
accumulated  in  past  years;  for  several  items  have  added  to  that 
surplus  from  sources  not  connected  with  the  year  1913. 

The  following  is  the  surplus  account  for  1913: 

Balance,  January  1,  1913 $2,302.42 

Old  pews  rent  collected   25.30 

Unexpended  balance  of  the  Sunday  School 

appropriation  of  1912     141.54 

Interest  on  legacy 152.16 

Total  credits $2,621.42 

Old  pew  rents  written  off  as  uncollectible  . .  6.76 

Deficit  for  1913 539.65 

Total  deductions     $546.41 

Present  surplus  balance 2,075.01 

Total  debits $2,621.42 

(a  net  shrinkage  for  the  year  of  $227.41) 

127] 


\ 


s   ; 
',1    i 


t;    », 


E.    Balance  Sheets,  Yearly  and  Monthly 

The  present  financial  condition  should  be  shown  on  a  balance 
sheet.  If  the  income  is  mainly  from  fixed  sources,  like  endowment 
or  pew  rentals,  it  will  not  vary  much  from  month  to  month,  and 
future  (unmatured)  liabilities  need  hardly  show.  If,  however, 
current  subscriptions  and  collections  must  be  reUed  on,  comparison 
of  resources  with  appropriations  must  be  made  frequently.  An 
illustration  below  covers  each  of  these  conditions. 

All  Souls'  Church,  Oakwood,  N.  Y. 

Current  Balance  Sheet  for  Close  op  Year 

Assets 

Pew  rentals  1913  outstanding $32.10 

Pew  rentals  1914  outstanding 448.89 

Building  Fund  Deposit    1,330.99 

Library  Fund  Investment 1,987.00 

Prepaid  Insurance 1,349.47 

Parish  Hymn  Books  (new) 115.30 

New  Hymn  Books  for  Sale 78.90 

Cash   2,268.79 

$7,611.44 
Liahililies 

Pew  rentals  1915  prepaid      $79.30 

Repair  Fund  Balance     1,860.34 

Balance  of  Sunday  School  appropriation  due 250.00 

Outstanding  Bills    711.25 

Library  Fund  Income      6.37 

Library  Fund  Principal , 2,000.00 

Building  Fund     1,330.99 

Surplus  accumulated  1,375.19 

$7,611.44 

Often  a  complete  balance  sheet,  with  fixed  as  well  as  current 
assets  may  well  be  reported. 

Balance  Sheet 

Unity   Church, 
WinterborOj  Mass. 

Church  Property. —  All  figures  are  taken  from  the  records  of  the 
city  assessors  of  the  city  of  Winterboro. 

Mortgages  on  Church, —  There  are  three  mortgages  held  by  the 
Winterboro  Savings  Bank,  dated  April  7,  1903,  October  20,  1908, 
Nov.  22,  1895,  for  $3000,  $750  and  $850  respectively,  each  of  which 
bears  interest  at  five  per  cent. 

Insurance. —  The  church  furniture  and  fixtures  are  insured  for 
$5,000,  the  church  building  is  insured  for  $30,000. 

Parsonage. —  The  parsonage  is  leased  by  Unity  Church  from 
the  Estate  of  John  Smith  at  a  yearly  rental  of  $500  for  a  period 

1281 


w 


of  fifteen  years,  at  the  end  of  which  period  the  Church  secures  full 
title  to  the  property.  During  the  period  of  the  lease  the  Church 
-pays  in  addition  to  its  yearly  investment  of  $500  only  the  real  estate 
taxes.  The  lease  is  dated  April  27,  1906,  and  wiU  expire  April  27, 
1921. 

April  1,  1915 
What  We  Own  and  What  We  Owe 

We  Own  —  Assets 

Church  building    $40,000.00 

Church  land 5.600.00 

Church  equipment   5,500.00 

$51,100.00 

Parsonage  building $  5,600.00 

Parsonage  stable 200.00 

Parsonage  land    4,400.00 

$10,200.00 

Total  Value  of  Property  We  Own  (Fixed  Assets) $61,300.00 

1913-1914  Pledges  unpaid %      149.30 

1914-1915  Pledges  unpaid 718.79 

Cash  (deposited  First  National  Bank)  $134.89 

Less  Special  Funds $    59.26 

Less  advance  payments 

1915-1916 60.00 

$119.26 

Total  Available  Cash 15.63 

Total  Current  Assets   883.72 

$62,183.72 


We  Owe  —  Liabilities 

Mortgages  on  Church  property   $4,600.00 

Payments  on  Church  parsonage 3,000.00 

*  • 

Total  Encumbrance  on  Property  (Fixed  Liabilities) 

Surplus  by  equity  in  Church  property $46,500.00 

Surplus  by  rentals  paid  on  parsonage 4,500.00 

Surplus  by  assessed  valuation  of  parsonage 

over  purchase  price 2,700.00 

Total  Surplus  by  Property    

Note  payable  to  First  National  Bank     . . . 

Total  Current  Liabilities     

Surplus  by  current  assets 


$7,600.00 


i 


4 


129] 


53,700.00 
500.00 

$61,800  00 

383  72 

$62,183.72 


I 


m 


■i . 


i'K  ' 


■ft 


(^)     Treasurer's  Monthly  Balance  Sheet 

(As  reported  monthly  to  the  finance  committee  of  trustees. ) 


Assets 

Pledges,  1913-1914,  over-due    

Pledges,  1914-1915,  current 

Less  allowance  for  non-collectibles 


$183.53 


,463.64 
150.00 


$1,313.64 


$1,497.17 


Cash $145.95 

Less  reserved  for  special  funds: 

Deacon^s  fund $90.70 

Music  fund 18.04 

Interior  repairs   24.00     132.74 

Net  available  balance 


13.21 


$1,510.38 


%? 


Liabilities 

Balances  of  appropriations  from  budget: 

Pastor's  salary $166.68 

Sexton's  salary 40.00 

Music 68.81 

Printing  and  supplies 88.24 

Light     ,..i..: 60.54 

Interest 19.68 

Miscellaneous 61.03 

Outstanding  bills 

Note  payable,  due  this  quarter 

Total  liabiHties   . .  .• 

Surplus 


$504.98 
172.15 
700.00 


$1,377.13 
133.25 

$1,510.38 


P.    The  Treasurer's  Explanatory  Notes 

Explanation  should  be  made  of  all  significent  changes  in  income 
or  expense  (increases  or  decreases  and  new  items)  for  the  year  as 
compared  with  the  previous  (or  other  normal)  year.  For  example, 
one  treasurer  last  year  reported  as  follows: 

Shrinkage  of  rentals $350.00 

Shrinkage  of  bank  interest    60.00 

Shrinkage  of  interest  on  investments 29.00 

Increase  in  Sunday  School  expenses    200.00 

Increase  in  insurance  cost 126.00 

Increase  in  printing  and  calendars 180.00 

Increase  in  miscellaneous  costs 15.00 

Total  debit  changes    $960.00 

Decrease  in  cost  of  maintenance    80.00 

Decrease  in  janitor's  services   50.00 

Total  credit  changes $130.00 

Net  unfavorable  changes     $830.00 

These  changes,  of  course,  may  be  unfavorable  only  in  a  financial 
sense ;  for  a  church  exists  solely  to  render  service. 

The  budget  should  show  the  classes  of  estimated  receipt  and 
expenditure,  and  should  indicate  how  much  adjustment  between 
them  must  be  made  by  special  economies,  by  special  appeals  for 
funds,  or  by  special  activities  for  income  or  for  service.  These 
hardly  need  illustration  here,  for  the  best  fv')undation  for  a  budget 
is  the  statement  already  shown  —  the  receipts  and  expenditures 
of  last  year,  the  classified  income  and  expense  as  adjusted  for  accrued 
and  prepaid  items,  as  shown  on  page  27,  and  the  significant  changes 
as  just  shown.  In  form,  this  may  take  roughly  the  shape  of  the 
current,  monthly  balance  sheet  shown  on  page  30,  which,  as  it  hap- 
pens, is  merely  a  budget  for  a  short  balance  of  a  year  (the  remnant 
of  the  original  budget  of  the  year.) 


i!  H 


[30] 


I31J 


,-r" 


i 


G.     Report  on  Invested  Funds 

A  full  report  should  be  made  for  all  funds, —  income,  invest- 
ments, and  balances  of  both  income  and  principal. 

Following  is  an  illustration: 

Unity  Churchy  Winterboro,  Mass. 

Library  Fund 

Principal,  by  terms  of  will $2,000.00 

Invested  in  M.  E.  Co.  Bonds .Sl,987.00 

Cash  in  Blank  Trust  Co 13.00 

*  $2,000.00    $2,000.00 

Income,  balance  beginning  of  year $     52.00 

Interest 104.00 

Books  purchased  by  terms  of  will    149.63  . 

Balance  end  of  year 6.37 

$    156.00    $    156.00 


H.    The  Auditors'  Statement 

The  auditors  should  take  their  task  seriously.  Remissness 
in  their  work  is  just  as  reprehensible  as  in  the  work  of  a  treasurer. 
The  auditors  should  be  able  conscientiously  to  sign  a  statement 
virtually  as  follows: 

"We,  your  aiiditing  committee  for  the  year  .  .  .  have  examined 
(or  have  employed  competent  accountants  to  examine  for  us)  the 
records  of  the  treasurer,  have  found  that  all  disbursements  have 
been  properly  authorized,  have  ascertained  that  a  proper  method 
of  accounting  for  receipts  is  in  use,  have  observed  that  the  funds 
actually  in  the  hands  of  the  treasurer  accord  with  the  balance  as 
required  by  the  transactions  for  which  we  find  him  responsible, 
and  we  hereby  approve  this  annual  report  to  which  our  signatures 
are  appended." 

[32] 


; 


I.     Subscription  Cards 

(Subscription  Card;  Form  No.  1.) 


No Name  

A  rl/I]"Agg 

hereby    subscribes '. v^^l^^J^   1^^ 

the  support  of  All  Souls'  Church,  Canterbury,  Mich,  for  the 
year  beginning  January  1,  19. . . ., 

payable  in  annual  ] 

instalments* 


semi-annual  . 
quarterly  [ 
monthly        J 

♦Cross  out  three. 

(Date) 


[Please  fill  out  and 
mail  to  John  Doe, 
Treas.,  101  Twenty 
fifth  Ave.,  Canter- 
bury, Mich.  ] 


Signature 


(Subscription  Card:  Form  No.  2,  Front.) 


No Name  

Address 

hereby  subscribes  the  amount  indicated  by  an  X  on  the  back 
of  this  card  for  the  support  of  All  Souls'  Church,  Canterbury, 

Mich.,  for  the  year  beginning  January  1,19 ,  to  be  paid  in 

annual  *    ] 

quarterly  I  instalments 

monthly 
weekly 

[Please  fill  out  and  mail  to  John  Doe,  Treasurer,  101  Twenty- 
fifth  Avenue,  Canterbury,  Mich.]     Signature 

♦Cross  out  three.  Date 


(Subscription  Card:  Form  No.  2,  Back.) 


.05  weekly 

.10 

.20 

.25 

.30 

.40 

.60 

.60 

.75 

.80 

.90 


a 
(( 
t( 
(( 
it 
ti 
ft 
a 
(I 
i( 


2.60  annually. 

5.20 
10.40 
13.00 
15.60 
20.80 
26.00 
31.20 
39.00 
41.60 
46.80 


a 
(( 
n 
(( 
ct 
ti 
it 
l( 
t( 
il 


1.00  weekly 

1.25 

1.50 

1.75 

2.00 

2.50 

3.00 

3.50 

4.00 

4.50 

5.00 


i        __ 

c  


t  


52.00  annually  | 

65.00 

78.00 

91.00 

104.00 

130.00 

156.00 

182.00 

208.00 

234.00 

260.00 

n 
I 


133] 


w 

k 


u 


(Combination  Subscription  Card,  Form  No.  3) 

Subscription  card  for  churches  in  which  the  weekly  envelope  system 
IS  in  use  for  both  the  regular  church  expenses  and  the  benevolences 
of  the  church. 

(Front  of  Card) 


UNITY  CHURCH,  NEW  BOSTON,  OREGON 

Weekly  Offerings 

^     Fo^  For  Parish 

Benevolences  Expenses 


.01 
.02 
.03 


.04 
.05 

.10 

.15 


.20 
.25 


.50 

1.00 
2.00 
5.00 


Please  mark  with  an  X  in  each  column  the 
sum  you  are  willing  to  pledge  as  a  weekly  offering 
for  benevolence  and  for  parish  expenses  for  the 
year.  (Use  a  blank  space  if  you  select  a  sum  not 
mentioned.) 

Write  your  name  and  address  below,  and  de- 
posit the  card  in  the  box  on  the  following  Sunday, 
or  mail  it  in  the  enclosed  envelope. 

A  package  of  small  double  envelopes  will  then 
be  furnished  you  (one  for  each  week). 

Each  Sunday  enclose  the  amount  of  your  weekly 
offering  in  the  envelope  which  bears  that  date, 
and  place  it  sealed  in  the  box. 

In  case  of  absence  for  one  or  more  Sundays, 
enclose  the  whole  amount  due  with  the  next 
offering  that  is  made,  and  destroy  the  unused 
envelopes. 

This  pledge,  being  purely  voluntary,  may  be  can- 
celled at  any  time  by  giving  notice  to  the  Treasurer. 


Name    . . . 
Residence 


.01 
.02 
.03 


.04 
.05 

.10 

.15 


.20 
.25 


.50 

1.00 
2.00 
5.00 


(Back  of  Card). 


[over] 


Unless  otherwise  designated  by   the    giver,   the  envelope 
offerings  for  benevolences  will  be  divided  as  follows: 

A        •        XT  •      .                                                   -^^^  ^^^^ 
American  Unitarian  Association 40 

District  Conference iQ 

Local  Conference jq 

Ministerial  Relief  and  Pension  Funds     . . . . .       5 

General  Charities  Committee 35 

If  you  wish  your  gift  to  be  differently  divided  or 
assigned  to  other  objects  indicate  your  wishes  in  the 
space  below. 


[34] 


Form  No.  1,  printed  on  an  ordinary  3x5  filing  card,  is  recom- 
mended as  simple  and  convenient,  where  subscriptions  are  generally 
paid  semi-annually,  quarterly  or  monthly.  Where  the  envelope 
system  is  used  with  many  weekly  contributions,  form  No.  2  is  better. 
Or  both  forms  may  be  used  in  the  same  church  by  using  cards  in 
two  colors,  permitting  the  subscriber  to  use  whichever  form  he  prefers. 
Each  card  should  be  given  a  number  corresponding  to  the  number 
assigned  to  the  subscriber.  Where  the  fiscal  year  of  the  church 
does  not  coincide  with  the  calendar  year  the  date  of  the  commence- 
ment of  the  subscription  should  be  left  blank  or  else  made  to  coin- 
cide with  the  fiscal  year. 

Subscribers  who  are  able  to  pay  in  large  amounts  annually  or 
semi-annually  should  be  encouraged  to  do  so  at  the  beginning  of 
the  year.  Such  subscriptions  enable  the  church  to  start  the  year 
with  a  good  cash  balance,  and  relieve  the  treasurer  of  much  drudgery 
which  is  inevitably  involved  in  collecting  and  checking  up  quarterly 
and,  still  more,  monthly  and  weekly  contributions.  The  envelope 
system  is  valuable  where  there  are  many  small  subscribers  who  can- 
not or  prefer  not  to  give  in  large  sums  or  at  long  intervals.  It  does, 
however,  involve  much  labor  in  proportion  to  the  returns. 


[35] 


i 


J.     Envelopes 


(Form  No.  2,  Combination  Envelope.) 


(Form  No.  1) 


(Front  of  Two-Pocket  Envelope.) 


It 


Unity   Church,  New  Boston,    Oregon 

This  church  is  dependent  upon  voluntary  contribu- 
tions. You  are  asked  to  make  a  definite  pledge  of 
the  amount  you  will  give.  Please  bring  or  send  your 
contributions  regularly]  the  church  expenses  go  on  just 
the  same  when  you  are  absent. 

Pledge  for  19 

I  will  give  $ to  be  paid  in  equal 

amounts  monthly,  July  and  August  excepted,  during 
the  remainder  of  the  current  year. 

Date 

Signature 

Address 

Cash  Payment 

Credit  the  sum  of  $ 

Date   : . . . 

Signature 

Address 


This  form  may  be  used  either  as  a  form  for  annual  subscriptions 
or  for  cash  payments  (weekly)  to  be  credited  to  the  subscriber.  It 
is  a  form  which  admits  of  subscriptions  beginning  at  any  time  in 
the  fiscal  year,  and  makes  allowance  for  the  two  months'  vacation 
during  which  the  church  is  closed.    • 

[361 


i 


Envelope  For  Weekly  Contributions 

This  church  is  dependent  upon  voluntary  contri- 
butions. You  are  asked  to  make  a  definite  pledge 
of  the  amount  you  will  give  towards  the  running 
expenses  and  the  benevolences  of  the  church. 
Please  bring  or  send  your  contributions  regularly ; 
the  church  expenses  go  on  just  the  same  when  you 
are  absent. 


(Back  of  Two- Pocket  Envelope.) 


No, 


Dec.  6, 1914 


WEEKLY 

OFFERING 


$. 


REGULAR  CHURCH  EXPENSES 


New  Boston,    - 


Oregon 


Please  bring  or  send  your  contributiwis 
regularly.  If  you  are  absent,  remember 
the  church  expenses  go  on  just  the  same. 

THIS  SIDE  IS  FOR  OURSELVES 


No, 


$ 


■ 


Dec.  6,  1914 


WEEKLY 

OFFERING 


BENEVOLENT    OBJECTS 

American  Unitarian  Associa- 
tion. 

District  Conference 

Local  Conference. 

General  Charities. 

Ministerial  Pension  and  Relief 
Fund. 

THIS  SIDE  FOR  OTHERS 


137] 


^w 


i; 
'J 


K.    Treasurer's  Reminders 

It  is  essential  that  treasurers  should  promptly  notify  subscribers 
when  their  subscriptions  fall  due,  and  should  use  methods  likely  to 
induce  a  prompt  reply.  * 'Reminders''  should  be  sent  to  all  semi- 
annual and  quarterly  subscribers,  accompanied  by  return  envelopes, 
so  that  the  subscriber  has  only  to  draw  his  check  and  stamp  and 
seal  the  envelope.  It  is  ordinarily  not  necessary  to  remind  monthly 
and  weekly  contributors  except  when  they  fall  considerably  into 
arrears.    Two  forms  of  "reminders''  are  suggested  below. 

(Form  No.  1) 

All  SouW  Churchy  Canterbury,  Mich. 

John  Doe,  TreasureVj  101  Twenty-fifth  Ave, 


To 


My  dear 

On  the  first  of  January  last  you  subscribed 

dollars  for  the  support  of  All  Souls'  Church,  to  be  paid 

The  next  payment  on  your  subscription  is  due  on , 

and  I  should  appreciate  your  courtesy  in  remitting  that  amount 
to  me,  with  this  statement,  in  the  enclosed  envelope.  If  you  pay 
by  check  no  formal  receipt  will  be  sent  you  unless  you  ask  for  it, 
as  your  endorsed  check  is  a  legal  receipt. 

Yours  truly, 

•         John  Doe,    Treasurer. 

(Form  No.  2) 

All  SouW  Church,  Canterbury,  Mich. 

John  Doe,   Treasurer 
Quarterly  Statement 

Contributor's  Name, 

TO  THE  contributor:    ' 

This  statement  shows  the  condition  of  your  account  on  a  given 
date.  If  your  record  does  not  a^ree  with  this  statement,  please  state 
definitely  to  the  treasurer  of  the  church  wherein  and  to  what  extent  your 
record  differs.  These  statements  are  sent  the  first  day  of  April,  July, 
October,  and  January.  The  purpose  is  to  secure  a^ccuracy  in  the 
accounts.  Will  you  assist  the  church  to  meet  its  bills  promptly  by 
the  regular  payment  of  your  pledgee 

Treasurer 


In  arrears  first  of  this  quarter 
Proportional  part  due  this  quarter 
Special  pledges  due 
To  your  credit  first  of  this  quarter 
Credited  your  account  this  quarter 

$  5 
15 

00 
00 

$12 

00 

Due  end  of  quarter 
To  your  credit 
Due  on  previous  year 

TOTAL  PUE  TO  DATE 

$20 

1 
9 

00 

00 
00 

$12 

00 

[38] 


L.    BOOKKEEPING  FORMS 

Nothing  peculiar  is  required  for  bookkeeping  forms.  Anv  method 
that  will  produce  right  results  for  any  other  busmess  wiU  produce 
right  results  for  church  books.  The  important  thing  is  merely  to 
provide  that  every  item  to  be  reported,  as  requu-ed  by  the  recom- 
mendations  herein  and  shown  by  the  sample  accounts  cited,  should 
have  a  ledger  account  to  which  postings  shall  be  made  from  proper 
explanatory  entries.  The  accounts  should  be  so  kept  that  they  can 
be  adequately  audited;  and,  if  the  transactions  are  of  much  volume 
or  frequencv,  consideration  for  the  time  (or  compensation)  of  the 
auditors  requires  double^ntry.     The  use  of  special-column  books 

saves  much  labor  in  posting.  ,        ^  -^  j    u  ^ 

The  books  of  the  large  church  whose  figures  are  cited  above  com- 
prise a  journal  (for  occasional  entries  not  cash),  a  pew-rental  book 
(for  details  of  pew  bills  sent  and  paid),  and  a  cash  book.  Postings 
are  made  to  the  ledger  from  the  journal  and  the  cash  book  only. 
The  cash  book  has  special  columns,  from  which  only  totals  are 
posted  to  the  general  ledger,  as  follows:  receipts  —  old  pew  rents, 
current  pew  rents,  interest  (all  other  items  being  posted  from  the 
eeneral  column);  disbursements  —  printing  and  postage,  hght  and 
power,  music,  maintenance  of  building  (all  other  items  being  posted 
from  the  general  column).  Under  the  subscription  plan,  old  sub- 
scriptions and  current  subscriptions  would  take  the  place  of  old 
pew  rents  and  current  pew  rents.  Postings  to  the  accounts  of  indi- 
vidual pew  holders  (or  subscribers)  may  be  made  directly  from  the 
cash  book  (or  subordinate  lists  under  the  envelope  system)  to  the 
pew  book  (or  subscription  ledger-cards),  and  at  the  same  time 
get  into  the  general  ledger,  as  posted  from  the  total  of  the  special 
column  so  as  to  give  the  sum  of  all  such  pew  rentals  (or  subscrip- 
tions). Since  it  would  usually  be  bad  policy  to  attempt  to  enforce 
payment  for  neglected  pew-rentals  or  defaulted  subscriptions,  it  is 
not  usually  worth  while  to  debit  pewholders  or  subscribers,  except 
in  memorandum,  for  their  liabilities.  Any  unpaid  balances  at  the 
end  of  a  year  may  be  treated  as  inventory  items.  Then  they  may 
get  upon  the  statement  without  needlessly  comphcating  the  books 

in  case  any  prove  in  default.       ,      , ,    ,  ^  «      i.  j 

The  books  and  the  statement  should  always  tally,  however,  and 
it  is  the  business  of  the  auditors  to  see  that  they  do  so:  either  the 
books  should  be  brought  to  date  by  Tidjustment  for  items,  intro- 
duced into  the  statement,  that  were  previously  not  on  the  books,  or 
the  statement  should  be  made  to  conform  strictly  to  the  facts  on 
the  books;  for  otherwise  next  year's  audit  will  have  no  proper  start- 
ing point,  and  either  the  auditing  task  will  be  unduly  heavy,  or  sus- 
picion will  be  cast  upon  someone's  performance  of  duty.  No  one 
should  be  appointed  treasurer  unless  he  not  only  can  but  will  keep 
adequate  books  of  account,  or  will  employ  some  competent  person 
to  keep  them  under  his  direction.  In  large  churches  the  labor  is 
large,  especially  where  payments  are  in  small  sums,  and  unJess 
persons  of  some  accounting  skill  and  considerable  leisure  are  avail- 
able, appropriation  should  be  made  to  cover  the  cost  of  proper  ac- 
counting. 


[391 


V 


♦ 


I 


M.    Contributions  for  Benevolences 

Contributions  made  for  other  purposes  than  the  running  expenses 
of  the  church  (as  for  home  or  foreign  missionary  work,  charities  of 
various  sorts,  etc.)  should  be  separately  accounted  for.  Where 
this  work  is  attended  to  by  a  special  committee,  or  by  the  Branch 
Alliance,  a  full  report  should  be  then  made  by  the  appropriate 
oflficer  at  the  annual  parish  meeting.  The  form  indicated  under 
schedule  B  for  a  simple  church  account  will  suffice  for  the  benevo- 
lent work  of  a  small  church. 

Where  most  of  the  money  for  benevolences  is  collected  in  envel- 
opes the  "combination  subscription  card"  (form  No.  3,  page  34) 
and  the  "two-pocket  envelope''  (page  37)  are  recommended. 

In  the  case  of  larger  churches  with  more  widespread  activities 
other  methods  may  prove  more  advantageous.  Thus  in  one  of  our 
larger  churches  an  annual  appeal  for  benevolences  is  made  each 
fall,  in  the  form  of  a  printed  letter,  signed  by  the  Treasurer  of  the 
General  Committee  on  Benevolences,  mailed  to  all  persons  from 
whom  a  contribution  may  be  hoped  for,  accompanied  by  an  item- 
ized report  of  the  Committee's  receipts  and  expenditures  for  the 
preceding  year,  and  a  subscription  blank.  As  this  church  has  been 
unusually  successful,  the  form  of  the  treasurer's  report  and  of  the 
subscription  blank  (both  slightly  modified)  are  here  reprinted  as 
models. 

(Subscription  Blank) 
All  SouW    Churchy    Winterboro^  Mass. 

Winterboro, 1914. 

During  the  year  beginning  October  1,  1914,  I  promise  to  con- 
tribute the  sum  of dollars  toward  the 

work  of  the  General  Committee  on  Benevolences  to  be  apportioned 
among  the  objects  designated  below: 

At  the  discretion  of  the  Committee: 

or 

in  amounts  as  specified: 

(Mark  with  an  X  the  clause  you  wish  followed) 

Dates  and  Objects  of  Collections 


.^ 


Oct.     4,  1914     General  Charities    

Oct.  18,  1914    American  Unitarian  Associat'n 

Nov.  22,  1914  Thanksgiving  Offering  for  Gen'l 
Charities 

Dec.  20,  1914  City  Hospital 

Jan.   17, 1915  District  and  Local  Conferences 

Feb.  21,  1915  Institutions  for  Social  Better- 
ment    

Mar.  21,  1915  Schools 

Apr.  4,  1915  Easter  Offering  for  General 
Charities 

May  16,  1915  Social  Service  Committee 

June  20,  1915  General  Charities 

I  will  pay  the  above  sum  to  the  Treasurer ' 
of  the  General  Committee  of  Benevolences: 

140] 


Use  this 
Coluam 


For  use  of 
Treas.  only 


Date 
Paid 


I.  In  one  payment  on  November  16. 

II.  In  two  payments  on  November  16  and  April  15. 

III.  In  three  payments  on  November  16,  February  15,  and  April  15. 

IV.  Into  the  contribution  box  on  the  dates  of  the  several  collec- 

tions as  announced  above,  in  envelopes  hearing  my  name. 
(This  is  important  if  such  payments  are  to  be  credited  on 
your  subscription.) 

Signature   

Address 

Please  cancel  modes  of  payment  which  you  do  not  wish  to  use. 
Checks  should  be  drawn  to  the  ''General  Committee  on  Benevo- 
lences" and  sent  to  James  Smith,  Treasurer,  105  Fourth  St.,  Win- 
terboro. 

(Report  op  Committee  on  Benevolences.) 

All  Souls'  Church,  Winterboro,  Mass. 

Report  of  Treasurer  of  General  Committee  on   Benevolences  for  the 

fiscal  year  ending  June  1,  1914. 

Receipts 

Cash  on  hand.  May  30,  1913    $    549.65 

Circular  of  October,  1913    $1,774.11 

Collections  and  Contributions    1,026.21 

Receipts  from  Box  in  Vestibule   17.05 

Interest  on  Bank  Deposits    23.51      2,840.88 

Total  Receipts $3,390.53 

Disbursements 

American  Unitarian  Association $1,420.00 

Social  Service  Committee 800.00 

City  Hospital 365.00 

General  Charities: 

Thanksgiving  Distribution    $      50.00 

City  Missionary  Work     10.00 

Social  Service  Council  of  Unitarian  Women.         25.(X) 
Expenses  of  two  delegates  to  General  Con- 
ference at  Buffalo. 43.10         128.10 

Institutions  for  Social  Betterment: 

Children's  Mission    $      50.00 

•    Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to 

Children 25.00 

Ministerial  ReUef  and  Pension  Funds 40.00         1 15.00 

Schools: 

Proctor  Academy,  Andover,  N.  H 50.00 

Hampton  Institute,  Hampton,  Va 50.00 

Carolina  Industrial  School,  Shelter  Neck, 

N.  C 60.00         160.00 

Cash  on  Deposit  in  Home  National  Bank, 

May  30,  1914 402.43 

Respectfully  submitted,  $3,390.53 

June  1,  1914,  James  Smith,  Treasurer. 

[41] 


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